The warning from social care and health service leaders is set out in a report published by the Local Government Association on the state of social care.
The LGA said that historic under-funding of adult social care had brought the system to crisis point, with the strain on providers particularly severe. It called on the government to provide more cash for social care and said at least £1.3bn of additional funding was needed immediately to stabilise the market, with a further £1.3bn needed by 2019-20.
The association pointed to warning signs from professional bodies and frontline services that current funding levels were not sustainable.
In 2014, Headway released its own report highlighting the increasing financial pressure Headway groups are under as a result of cuts to local authority funding. The report, entitled A ticking timebomb: The false economy of cuts to brain injury support services, identified that 85% Headway groups were concerned about their long-term survival. It also showed that almost half (48%) of people living with brain injury had lost access to vital rehabilitation and support services as a result of cuts to local authority budgets and welfare benefits reform.
Simultaneous cuts to local authority budgets are having a detrimental effect on the physical and psychological wellbeing of brain injury survivors and their carers. In addition to the human cost in the short term, the long-term implications could impact wider society as reduced access to vital services will lead to more people becoming reliant on more expensive long-term state support.
'Don't cut me out!'
Find out more about Headway's campaign to challenge funding cuts on our 'Don't cut me out!' campaign page.
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